The Brewers have placed left-hander Brent Suter on the 10-day DL with a left rotator cuff strain and designated right-hander Michael Blazek for assignment, as per a team announcement.
[Updated Brewers depth chart at Roster Resource]
Suter’s injury could very well explain his lack of effectiveness over his last three starts (13 ER in 14 1/3 innings), though the southpaw has provided the Brew Crew with solid overall results as both a reliever and starter this season. Suter has a 3.79 ERA, 2.72 K/BB rate and 7.4 K/9 over 59 1/3 IP, starting nine of his 16 appearances. Prior to this ugly three-start stretch, Suter had been on fire, with a 1.50 ERA over his previous five starts and 30 innings pitched.
It isn’t yet known who will step into Suter’s rotation spot. Junior Guerra is probably the likeliest candidate, though the righty has struggled with both injuries and ineffectiveness in the wake of his breakout 2016 year and is currently at Triple-A. Paolo Espino and Wily Peralta are also options in the minors, though these two have also not provided good results at the big league level this season.
This is the second time Blazek has entered DFA limbo this season, as Milwaukee designated the right-hander in April and then outrighted him to Triple-A. A big contributor out of the Brewers’ bullpen in 2015, Blazek struggled last season and has been hit hard in limited action this year, allowing six homers in just 8 2/3 IP en route to an 8.31 ERA. Blazek’s numbers at the Triple-A level have been solid, however, so he’s likely to continue on as organizational relief depth.
So much for the “Jus Blaze” jersey on Player’s Weekend. SMH.